Page 96 of On My Side
“Hey,” he responds, staring at his phone. He and Izzy both came home from college to celebrate, and Alex surprised us by flying in from LA this morning. For the first time since Kat’s wedding, all eight of us are together. Including Kat, who’s here without her asshole husband. Her presence and his absence have convinced me of the existence of a god.
“What’s his problem?” Alex asks, gesturing towards Leo. Her hair is shorter than the last time I saw her and she has a nose piercing, and it’s so silly, but it makes me sad to realize how little I interact with her compared to my other siblings.
Leo finally looks up and narrows his eyes at her. “I canhearyou, you know.”
“Okay,” Alex says, absentmindedly swirling her flute of champagne. “What’s your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem!” Leo says, loud enough that Hunter glances over at us. I smile and wave at her to signal everything’s fine. She shouldn’t have to deal with whatever has Leo’s knickers in a bunch.
“He and Stelly are fighting,” Izzy says, appearing out of nowhere. Finn’s back at college, so she, like her twin, is riding solo tonight.
“Can younot?” Leo moans.
“At least you’re not married,” Kat says, from behind Alex. How the hell are my siblings so stealthy? “Because then you don’t have a way out.” She takes a long sip of her champagne.
We stare at her in uncomfortable silence.
“What?” she snaps.
“Are you okay, Meow?” I ask cautiously. I’ve been calling her Meow since I was a toddler, and I’m the only sibling allowed to do so. Family lore says I decided all cats were named Meow, so Kat and our actual household feline were confirmed as “Meow.”
“I’m fine,” she snaps. “Obviously.”
“No, no,” Leo says, pushing off the wall with renewed energy. “This is great. Let’s focus on Kat.”
It’s like he doesn’t know us, because trying to take the attention off yourself in this family is the only surefire way to make sure you have it.
“Tell them what’s going on,” Izzy encourages.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kat snag another glass of champagne. I’m not sure what instinct kicks in, but I reach over, snatch the flute and toss it back.
“Lorenzo!” Kat shrieks. “That wasmine.”
The rest of my siblings stare at me, and I don’t blame them. I’m usually a one and done kind of guy when it comes to alcohol.
“I’m… gonna go say hi to Jo and Hunter,” I say slowly. “Sorry you’re sad about your boyfriend and wife.”
“Husband and girlfriend,” Alex corrects gently. “You okay there?”
“I’m fine,” I insist stubbornly.
“Sure, buddy,” Leo says as Kat pats my shoulder sympathetically.
My god, they’re onto me. I’m usually better than this.
It’s probably because Audrey’s wearing the same perfume she wore when we went to the symphony and it’s making me lose my sensibilities.
As I walk to the bar, I pull out my phone.
Ren
you look great.
smell even better.
I stare at her as she straightens a centerpiece before she pulls out her phone and glances at her screen. She does a double take, then scans the room.
I wink at her when she finds me, and she scowls before looking at her phone again.
